De Villiers is South Africa's first black coach

South Africa coach Peter De Villiers says Warren Gatland is currently the best coach in the world.

De Villiers takes charge of South Africa for the first time against Gatland's Wales in the first Test in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

"Wales will be a good team," he said. "They did not win the Six Nations by watching the game.

"They know what they are doing. And in Warren Gatland they have the best coach in world rugby at present."

Reigning world champions South Africa will go into the Test match as the hot favourites to continue their winning streak but De Villiers, who succeeded Jake White in the Bok hot-seat, is taking nothing for granted.

Springbok fans, still on a high after South Africa lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for a second time last October, are notoriously unforgiving when the team fails to deliver the goods and De Villiers is well aware it is imperative South Africa start their 2008 campaign in winning fashion.

Both teams will be without star performers due to injuries with the Boks particularly hard hit due to the unavailability of flanker Schalk Burger, scrum-half Fourie Du Preez and centre Jaque Fourie.

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De Villiers still has the nucleus of the World Cup-winning squad available to him though.

He will name his team on Thursday, but has already confirmed hooker John Smit will captain the side and will become the first man to lead the Boks on 50 occasions.

Wales are without flanker Martyn Williams, scrum-halves Dwayne Peel, Mike Phillips, Gavin Henson, full-back Lee Byrne and hooker Huw Bennett.

But De Villiers is still expecting a stern test for his team.

"We may even see a stronger team," he warned. "People tend to look at names, and they forget that all those names started somewhere.

"The excitement and enthusiasm that new players bring to the team could spell danger to the Springboks."